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Hill? He will stay here overnight.'
'Thank you.' The young officer smiled gratefully from her to
Cathie. He was a fresh-faced boy from Bideford, the son of one of
the town dignitaries, as he presently told them, having taken the
edge off his appetite. He spoke highly of James it was evident that
he greatly admired his skill as a soldier and considered him to be the
best of officers.
'Will you be going on to Bideford in the morning?' John asked
him.
He shook his head regretfully. 'No, I must return with all speed to
Stratton. Fairfax may cross the Tamar at any moment, and I want to
be with Sir James when he does.'
He was gone after an early breakfast the next day, riding away
with their good wishes ringing in his ears, and Mary's reply to James
safely tucked away inside his doublet. John rode with him for a mile
or so, taking a roundabout route in order to avoid Torrington, and
then parted from him, having offered to go to Bideford to let his
parents know of his visit to them, and to give them the letter
Edmund had written on the previous evening.
They parted on the best of terms, Edmund promising to call upon
them again one day if all went well with him.
'Pray remember me to your sister,' he added as they shook hands.
John grinned. 'To be sure!' He had been somewhat amused to
observe the effect Cathie had had upon Edmund. Rachel had
noticed it too, murmuring in an aside to him that she appeared to
have made a conquest.
His grin faded as he rode along. Thoughts of Rachel had brought
to mind her growing interest in Captain Denham. Ever since her
first visit to the Captain's room she had visited him every day, much
to John's displeasure.
When he had remonstrated with her, saying that she had gone
back on her first avowed intention regarding the Roundhead officer,
she had raised her fine eyebrows, replying coolly that she had
decided it might be more politic to be on favourable terms with him,
as it seemed certain the Parliamentarians were on the verge of a
62 CROMWELL'S CAPTAIN
complete victory in the West, and would doubtless go on to conquer
the few places still remaining to the King.
With that John had to be content, but he did not like it. He made
it his business to go to the Captain's room when he knew Rachel to
be sitting with him, finding them deep in conversation concerning
matters about which he knew little or nothing Court balls and
masques, river pageants, great houses, all the pomp and glitter of
Whitehall. His resentment grew. He felt himself to be gauche and
awkward, with none of the polish, none of the easy assurance, that
distinguished the Captain. His feeling of accord with him evapo-
rated. He even resented the fact that Denham did his best to include
him in the conversation, changing the subject to something of more
general interest as though he were some country clodhopper who
had to be humoured!
It seemed to his jealous fancy that Rachel had completely changed
towards him. Where before she had been content to be in his
company and had encouraged him to believe that she really cared for
him, her manner had become almost indifferent. He was miserably
convinced that Captain Denham had supplanted him in her affec-
tions.
She would be there at this moment, he thought, sitting beside
Denham's bed, turning her smile upon him. Rain stung his cheek.
He tugged at his hat brim, and urged his horse into a faster pace.
It was evening when he arrived back at Fern Place. Edmund
Hill's family, consisting of his parents and younger sister and
brother, had made him very welcome, giving him an excellent
dinner, over which they had lingered for some time. He was thank-
ful to reach home, for it had been raining for most of the return
journey, and he was as wet as Edmund had been on the previous
day. He hoped the young Cornet had managed to reach Stratton in
safety.
Adam had heard the news brought by the messenger, and reported it
to Denham. The latter looked thoughtful.
'It's seven days since the battle at Torrington time the General
made a move. Come to think of it, it is time I made one too!'
'Sir?'
'Oh, I have no intention of galloping off to Cornwall! But I think I
have stayed long enough in this bed. Tomorrow, Adam, I propose to
dress and try my legs.'
Adam regarded him dubiously. 'If you think you're strong
CROMWELL'S CAPTAIN 63
enough, sir.'
'I do, so you may get out my clothes in readiness.'
Adam did so, murmuring that he didn't know what Mistress
Cathie would have to say about it when she found out.
'Not that we've seen so much of her recently,' he added pointedly,
with a swift glance at Denham, who told him he was well aware of it
and said he supposed she was busy elsewhere.
Adam had formed his own opinion regarding Cathie's less fre-
quent visits to the Captain's room, but he kept it to himself. The
following morning, however, found her tapping on Denham's door.
Upon entering the room she instinctively turned her gaze towards [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]